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A wide choice of topics covered from the dawn of history right up to present days . Many of these have a wider relevance than purely within the context of Strathearn . The author's viewpoint often is at variance with the accepted opinions espoused elsewhere eg The Jacobite Uprisings and The Reformation .

Crieff Past and Present Published on the 7th JANUARY 1888

In the three and a half years I have been editing the Strathearn Perthshire Local History Blog , numbers following the site have risen considerably. Currently we have some 3 000 " hits " per month and what has proven more than a little surprising is the geographical distribution of our readers across the globe. Approximately one third are from the United Kingdom Regrettably we cannot identify the actual number logging on from here in Scotland but in probability it will be around 500 to 600 or , as a percentage somewhere between 15 and 20 % . The largest viewing contingent outside the UK is from the USA closely followed by Germany . Statistics show that we have a considerable number of viewers in Russia, France , China and Canada as well as in other countries scattered a cross the Globe ! Do trust we can continue to keep you all interested !

I have chosen a topic which invariably arouses passion and interest when discussed amongst Scots at home and abroad . The Jacobites - followers of the Royal House of Stewart - rose against William and his wife Mary who had been crowned joint monarchs of Scotland England and Wales in 1689 . Their succession was known as the " Glorious Revolution " as it had ousted the Catholic James II of Great Britain and Vll of Scotland .James supporters were known as Jacobites .The revolution may have been glorious in the eyes of the staunch Presbyterians of the Scottish Lowlands particularly those who inhabited the counties of Ayr and Dumfries and Galloway in the south west corner of Scotland . This was the land of the " Covenanters " and who themselves had been victims of persecution in those turbulent days . There is a degreee of romanticism about the Jacobites and indeed the not so " Bonny " , Prince Charlie ! Hollywood in the 1950s turned out a Brigadoon style stinker on the Prince featuring the so called Scottish David Niven ( he was actually born in London ! ) - film star of yesteryear ! It was a a flop at the box office .
Notwithstanding , Scots , do have a tendency generally to support the Jacobites instead of the Hanoverian " Redcoats " in any reproduction of the skirmishes of the 18th Century . Much of the failings of both the 1714 and 1745 Uprisings are attributable to the incompetence of the Jacobite leaders . In the 1714 " set to ", the incompetence of the Earl of Mar played a not inconsiderable part in its failings . In the 1745 it was the inability of the command to listen to Lord George Murray , an outstanding General , that posted failure . Much of the aftermath of the '45 cast a dark cloud over the country . The brutality of the Duke of Cumberland lived on and he is always known as " Butcher Cumberland " north of the Tweed . Cumberland was the third and youngest son of George ll . The plant known as Sweet William was named after him . In Scotland the name 'Stinking Billy' was applied to a weed by the Highland Scots - it is Ragwort which is smelly and poisonous to horses. Memories are indeed long !

I reproduce below an account about the '45 Uprising and how it affected Crieff . Written in 1888 it recalls a number of facts handed down through local families and accordingly makes history that bit closer ! Read on :In 1745 the
Town was again interested in the Rebellion . The Duke of Perth entered actively
into the Uprising but few of his tenants would follow .Some of the young men of
Crieff joined the Rebels , amongst them being Lewis Caw, who held a medical appointment
in the Highland Army , and is reported to have been a great favourite with Prince Charles, who in the later period
of his wanderings in Scotland adopted the name of Lewis Caw .

On the 19th
August 1745 , the standard of rebellion was raised at Glenfinnan and at the
same time General Sir John Cope , Commander
in Chief of the army in Scotland,
left Edinburgh with an army of nearly 2 000 for the North . They encamped for a
short time east of Crieff, on the grounds of Ferntower , where they were
visited by the Duke of Athole and the Laird of Glengarry. The spring of water
at the spot is now known as Cope’s Well . It was expected that many recruits
would join the army in its Northward
march, but, being disappointed , General Cope sent back from Crieff, 700 stands
of arms . He was much inclined to return
to Edinburgh, but peremptory orders from Government made him continue his Northward
journey . After Prince Charlie had run
his race in the South he returned with
his army to the North. Halting at Crieff in February 1746 for two or three days,
he divided his army into two divisions purposing to reach Inverness by
different routes .

During the
times the Prince was about the town, the various tradesmen had full employment
, and tradition says that they had to
make it a labour of love with a view to get quit of the starving and unthankful host .The last generation
used to recapitulate the stories of
their forefathers at this eventful time . One saddler who repaired some of the trappings of the Prince’s horses was known as Prince
Morrison, which title descended to his posterity. When the Highlanders left
Crieff, they forced all who had horses in and around the town to enter an
appearance and convey the baggage to
Aberfeldy , a distance of 23 miles over “
moors and mosses many O . “ Payment was promised on reaching this village, but instead
of payment each man was glad to give the baggage and the army the slip and seek
the nearest way home.

The Highlanders were anxious to give the town another “singe
“ but the Duke of Perth prevented it . We have frequently heard stories of that time , several of which
referred to the immense quantity of
spoil the Highlanders – acting independently- used to carry away Northwards over
the Glenturret Hills .Pots and pans were
favourite spoil. An old man named
McRorie , who lived at Bridge of Turret , West from Crieff, about the
beginning of this century witnessed their movements in small and large parties
away up to the glen . Ferntower House , the old Drummond Arms Hotel and several other houses were reported to
have lodged the Prince .

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